Speaking from my experience as a Sea Org Missionaire and recruiter, we used to take anyone who could get on a bus train or plane before Thursday at 2pm. (Stats Day, the most holy day of the week in scientology). Many would not pass the quals and get routed out, but hey, that was HCOs problem. Many of the current top executives and old timers got in the Sea Org under these relaxed qualifications and would never be allowed in now.

Now, the qualifications are very strict. I will try to give you an overview.

0.) You get regged to join the Sea Org

1.) The recruiter interviews you about basic out quals, including LSD, any psych history or drugs including ritalin, any criminal history, any debts, any connection to press or other antagonistic sources, any connection to anyone not in good standing with the church, any objections from your parents or family, etc.

2.) Once you have passed this interview, you are invited to sign your billion year Sea Org Contract. Ideally, this is done with as much pomp and circumstance as possible, at events there will be a special table all set up with Sea Org insignia and decorations, and the Sea Org Officers will be there in full uniform complete with braids, medals and campaign ribbons to shake your hand and make you feel really important. A formal swearing in and signing will take place. Pictures will be taken.

3.) Usually the next morning you will be scheduled to take tests and fill out your Life History Form. The tests are the OCA, the IQ test, the Aptitude Test and the Leadership Test. The Life History is now on a floppy disk, and is even more specific and intrusive, Warriors outline above is good, I do have a more recent one I will try to find and post later.

4.) Also at this point an auditor or meter trained recruiter will will give you a meter check on the A to J PTS types and a meter check on Help and Control. The whole list doesn't have to F/N, but any reads must be handled to F/N.

5.) All your data plus a routing form is put into a folder and submitted to Security, who will do computer searches on you, DMV check, credit check, etc, plus check on all the friends and family you put on your life History. They will also run a cross check through their internal computers checking for any data they already have on file about you or anyone you know.

6.) Once you pass ok from Security, the folder goes to OSA. OSA will check their own secret records and do their other secret background checks, including contacting the DSA (department of special affairs) of every org or mission you were ever affiliated with, looking for any flaps, ethics situations, etc.

7.) If you have made it this far, a "Project Prepare" is written and added to your folder. This is your plan for getting yourself 100% out of the wog world and includes things like selling all your mest, closing your lease or selling your house or business, paying all debts, finding a home for your dog, etc. This is all supposed to be done "RIGHT NOW". Unless the recruit arrives within days or weeks they often fall off the line and never arrive because they have too much time to think about it and get influenced by their friends and family not to do it.

8.) Once you arrive in the Sea Org, you route on to the EPF (estates project force). This consists of 5 hours of indoctrination and 8 hours of mest work per day. There are 5 courses, Basic Study Manual, Introduction to Scientology Ethics, Welcome to the Sea Org (5 tapes), Keys to Competence, and the Basic Sea Org Member Hat. The EPF should take 2 or 3 weeks, and those who don't finish in that time start to have their quals reviewed. If you have made it this far, you will get help for things like study problems or a minor PTS situation, but around 30% are offloaded for things like physical problems that show up when they can't handle the heavy mest work or schedule, trouble taking or giving orders, discipline problems, financial problems, or a PTS situation that wasn't known before, such as parents, ex-spouse or children who get upset once you have routed in.

9.) Once you graduate the EPF, you are supposed to be posted in the HCO Expeditor pool, where you continue 5 hours of study per day on Staff Status 0, SSI, and SSII. Your jobs are supposed to be to go work where HCO says you are needed, and thus get a feel for the organization. This almost never happens though, because of the chronic short staffing, and "divisional recruitment" wherein the division who recruited you wants you RIGHT NOW cover some black hole of a post that they think is critical.

10.) Usually step 9 is skipped, and you are just slammed onto a post and given 10 thousand orders to get your stats up. You get no bonuses or priveledges until you are fully hatted for your post. You are supposed to get 5 hours study until you are fully hatted, but good luck, buddy. I know many execs who were not fully hatted years later.